Intelligent Fin.tech Issue 18 | Page 44

LATAM

Meerah Rajavel , CIO , Palo Alto Networks , says LATAM companies are embracing diversity as a strategic business move , recognising its capacity to drive innovation , enhance decision-making and cultivate a more productive work atmosphere .

DIVERSITY IN TECHNOLOG DRIVING COMPANIES IN LATIN AMERICA

Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
In Latin America , specifically , investment in diversity has proven to be an even more advantageous strategy .

In recent years , diversity in technology teams has emerged as a significant factor in driving companies in the sector toward leadership in their respective industries .

This concern not only reflects growing attention to inclusion but is also grounded in solid data highlighting the tangible benefits that a more diverse team brings to organisational financial performance and innovation .
According to data from the Association of Information Technology and Communication ( ICT ) and Digital Technologies Companies ( Brasscom ), the presence of people with disabilities , women and Black people in the technology market in Latin America is still significantly underrepresented .
In Brazil , for example , although 24 % of the population has some form of physical or motor difficulty , these PwD professionals occupy only 0.8 % of sector vacancies .
Additionally , women , who constitute 51 % of the Brazilian population , represent only 20 % of technology professionals in the country .
This disparity is even more evident when observing the representation of black and multiracial individuals , who make up only 34.9 % of the total workforce in the sector , despite comprising the majority of the
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